Introducing Shane Gonzales, Component of the Youth Movement and Designer for Midnight Studios

After learning the ropes of screen printing and creating graphics for Russ Karablin’s streetwear brand, SSUR, Shane Gonzales saved every paycheck to launch his brand, Midnight Studios in 2014. Midnight Studios presents an overall punk aesthetic by drawing inspiration from Vivienne Westwood, Raf Simmons, and old vintage punk rock magazines that Gonzales collected throughout the years. At 20 years old, he recently released his Autumn/Winter 2015-2016 collection, influenced from Steve Emberton’s collection of vintage punk rock photos that were used in the poncho, button-down shirt and lining of the corduroy jacket.

Gonzales was first exposed to punk rock bands such as The Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys and the Adicts from old Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtracks. He grew up with these records and was consumed by punk rock culture, which is portrayed in his apparel. He mixes bold DIY graphics with anti-authoritarian phrases such as “No Future,” “Born to Lose” and “Midnight Posse Totally Unprofessional” to serve as a rebellious statement to superiors. With the growth of Midnight Studios, the brand elevates it’s aesthetic by continuing to create T-shirts that pay homage to punk rock but now include other staple pieces such as bomber jackets, sweaters, hoodies and long sleeves that often use two-tone paneling and oversized silhouettes to stay consistent with the grungy punk vibe.

With fashion influencers such as A$AP Rocky wearing Midnight Studio’s “Empty Places” T-shirt in the “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2” music video and Ian Connor modeling in the lookbooks, the brand has received instant hype as streetwear enthusiasts want merchandise from the young innovator’s limited collection. With the ultimate goals of opening a flagship store and eventually doing a runway show, Shane Gonzales seems to have a bright future ahead of him by becoming one of the hottest upcoming brands. To buy Midnight Studios apparel, check out http://midnight-usa.com/pages/spring-summer-2015 and be sure to cop some remaining Autumn/Winter 2015-2016 items.